


Symbolic

by mansikka



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Dogs, Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-16 17:36:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19322902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Alex and Michael are getting a dog together from a shelter. How are they supposed to choose which to bring home?





	Symbolic

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :)
> 
> This is from a prompt by Sadie; here, have some pups and fluff!

Michael's wanted a dog ever since he was a kid.

A dog is symbolic for him in a lot of ways, really. First and foremost, dogs make him think of companionship, of always having someone around to love and be loved by unconditionally, no matter what is happening in the world.

Dogs make him think of family too, the whole white picket fence thing complete with happy partners, and kids, and pets running around a yard. It's something he's always dreamed of in secret, and also known wasn't ever his to have. But Michael likes to dream up this perfect scenario sometimes, always picturing Alex as the person he's sharing that life with. Even the Alex in his dreams makes him smile like nothing else ever has.

Dogs, as far as Michael likes to imagine, run around like a permanent smile on four legs. He sees a dog and can't help smiling back for their wagging tails and happy faces. He needs some of that uncomplicated joy in his life.

Most of all, though, for Michael dogs mean the start of something new, something hopeful. A new experience and the best reason to get out of bed in the morning. And for him and Alex, it's symbolic of a new chapter in their lives.

He's lived with Alex in his cabin for a few months now, and there is no way for him to imagine any other home. Not for the cabin itself even though he loves all its corners, walls and the space around it, but for what it represents, which is Alex. __Alex__ is his home.

Alex smiles at him from across the truck's seats just then as though he's heard his thoughts, one arm resting on the open window as his fingers drum against Michael's thigh.

"Okay?"

"I can't wait," Michael says, flattening Alex's hand against his leg and lacing his fingers through. "I just don't know how we're gonna pick."

They've done the initial paperwork for the dog shelter already, paid the adoption fee and given all the details they needed about their lives and home. Michael's even planned out the route back from the shelter to stop at this pet superstore he intends to spend a silly amount of money in. To say he's planned every detail of this wouldn't come anywhere near close enough to how many thoughts he's already had about their dog, without even knowing what they look like yet.

"Me neither," Alex agrees, trapping Michael's thumb beneath his own. "We're going to want all of them."

"I'd __have__ all of 'em, if, you know. We had the space and all."

"Maybe one day," Alex says, leaning to kiss his shoulder, and giving Michael a look that says he too has imagined them in that picket fenced home. Maybe if they don't get to be parents one day they'll just have a yard full of rescue dogs instead. Michael wants it all, really, but with Alex he feels like he has it all already, just for the promise of whatever is to come.

"Maybe," Michael agrees, smiling at Alex then quickly turning his eyes back to the road for Alex nodding ahead. The sign for the shelter looms closer and Michael takes a sharp right into the parking lot, heart pounding in his chest in excitement.

"You sure they have crates here?"

"We paid for one already." The shelter checking their transportation Michael hadn't been prepared for, but at least this way they can take their new dog home safe and secure.

"Are you ready?" Alex is just as excited as Michael is, beaming at him from across the seat as Michael shuts the engine off. He's never had a dog either, though Michael could listen to Alex speak about the service dogs he's worked with for hours. Though there is no doubt in Michael's mind that it will be both of them who are soft touches, spoiling their dog with whatever they want.

Michael tilts his head for Alex to get out and quickly follows himself, nervous excitement making it difficult not to charge for the shelter door.

"Let's go meet our new dog," Alex says as he slots his fingers through Michael's and stands by his side, looking the shelter over.

Michael leans in to kiss him and nods, tugging on his hand as he steps forward.

* * *

There are so many dogs. Michael doesn't know where to look first, and desperately wishes that he could do more to help them all. They are all so perfect. Noses pressed up the bars of their enclosures, wagging tails and soft barks calling for attention.

"How are we supposed to choose?" Alex says, leaning to speak into his ear over the noise.

"Beats me." Michael has no idea. All the sniffs and licks to his hand as he passes make his heart ache for him wanting to give them all a home. But they really don't have the space, and they can't give the time needed to care for so many. It's not practical in any way, no matter how much he wants it. No matter how he tries to make it practical in his head.

"Oh, hello."

Michael turns for the sound of Alex's voice, watching as he crouches down. One hand rests on the top of the enclosure for balance as the other presses against the bars of it, and a soft low __woof__ pushes a chuckle from Alex's mouth.

Michael moves to crouch down beside him, holding his hand out for the dog to sniff at. Michael takes a quick look at the card on the side of the enclosure seeing that __Luna__ is a one-year-old Basset hound mix who has been at the shelter for about six weeks. Luna is  _ _beautiful__ ; tall for a Basset though with typically long ears, and wagging her tail as she tries to get ever closer to Alex.

"I think she likes you," Michael says, resting his hand on Alex's back.

"I think so."

"We could… maybe we could walk her, or something?" Michael says, looking around for a member of staff. Within minutes they're outside on a stretch of grass behind the shelter, taking  _their_ new dog for a first walk.

Luna is perfect on the leash. It's been something Michael has worried about with Alex's leg. But she trots along between them quite happily, calm as she looks around, then wagging her tail even harder when she looks up at either of them.

"Her previous owners were moving house," Sarah says, the shelter staff member who has handled their paperwork and helped them take Luna outside. "They were going into an apartment that didn't have enough space. It was best for her, really."

"Well. We have lots of space for her," Alex says, already in love. He's not taken his eyes off her yet aside from to grin at Michael. There is no way they are leaving without this dog.

"Because she's a Basset mix you'll need to be mindful of her ears and eyes, and keep an eye on her hips. Their joints can sometimes pop out, but, since she's a mix you won't know for sure how much Basset is in her."

"But she's healthy as she can be, right?" Michael asks, already picturing them worrying about their __girl__. Luna knows he's speaking about her, apparently, because she looks up, and Michael would swear that she smiles.

"Yes. She checked out pretty well. She's well behaved, and as you can see she's leash-trained. Luna seems to be socialized pretty good too. Though I don't know how she'll be around cats; we had a stray wander in last week somehow, and, well. She wasn't impressed."

"We'll keep an eye," Alex says, smiling as though he couldn't be happier.

"So you're taking her?" Sarah asks, looking between them both with a hopeful smile.

Alex turns to Michael, swapping hands for the leash so he can take his hand. "What do you think?"

"Easiest choice ever," Michael says, reaching down to scratch between Luna's ears. Luna looks up at him and gives a soft woof, and Michael is convinced his heart might burst.

In minutes they are back inside going over the final paperwork, and Sarah is disappearing into the back of the shelter to get their crate.

"So, we're doing this," Michael says to Alex, not quite sure he believes it's happening. The closest he's ever got to having a dog was a stray who wandered into the scrap yard one day about a few years back. He can't wait to get Luna home, can already picture him and Alex pretending not to sneak her food, and having no way of resisting letting her up on the couch.

"Yes. We are," Alex agrees, kissing him as Luna stands patiently by his side. She couldn't get much closer; Luna is practically stood on Alex's foot.

"Makes you wonder how long some of these poor guys have been in here," Michael says, torturing himself by looking around as they wait.

"Yeah. And what brought them here," Alex adds, looking himself. Michael kisses him for the drop in his smile, turning to nudge against his arm. Though as he turns his eyes fall on another dog just across from them, and Michael's heart thuds again.

"Oh, look at that little guy," he says, his gaze stolen by sad amber eyes on a long face sat in the very corner of their enclosure by the back wall. Alex turns to look; Michael feels him sag beside him.

"Oh."

"That, would be __Gonzo__ ," Sarah says as she rejoins them, carefully positioning the crate down by Luna and opening the door. "Hey, Luna. You going in, girl?"

Alex bends down to stroke over Luna's flank, cooing at her in encouragement. Michael thinks he falls in love with him all over again as he watches.

"What happened to Gonzo?" Alex asks, squeezing Michael's hand as he straightens back up.

"Well. Gonzo came to us maybe four months ago? He was rescued, actually. His owners decided to just dump him in an old closed down laundromat. He was tied to one of the benches in there and, well. Heartbroken for being left behind. Thankfully he wasn't left for too long, though. He was a little dehydrated, but they'd left food to last. He was a good weight when he came in, so we think he must have only been there a couple of days, which was lucky."

"Poor little guy," Michael repeats, sinking down to help Luna into her crate. Luna trots in completely unfazed by all that is happening, wagging her tail once inside.

"Yeah," Sarah agrees, sighing once she's checked Luna is secure. "It's hard. People come in, take one look at how cute he is, and think he's perfect, but he's a little… he's timid. And he suffers from the worst separation anxiety. Leave him alone for more than he can handle, and he'll howl the entire place down."

"That's no surprise, for what he's been through," Alex says, looking just as sad as Michael feels. How could anyone abandon such a beautiful dog?

"It isn't. Though it does make him difficult to rehome."

"Why?"

"It's produced some behavioral issues," Sarah says with a pinched smile as she looks at Gonzo. "For one, he pees up the wall of his enclosure if he doesn't get enough attention and his yowling doesn't get the reaction he wants. Honestly? I think Gonzo just needs a lot of love."

Gonzo is, like Luna, a mixed dog, though Michael can't tell what kind. He has slight wrinkles above his eyes that make him look like he is frowning, and he has the coloring of a beagle. He's beautiful too, but they have already chosen their dog. Michael is already attached to Luna after these few short minutes with her.

"Would that take a lot of training?" Alex asks, one hand resting on Luna's crate. Clearly he's not planning on letting her go either. Michael imagines letting Luna back into her enclosure and walking away, and has to crouch down to fuss over her ears for how much the idea hurts. They aren't going anywhere without her.

"Well. More than anything, Gonzo needs attention; lots of it. He's good with other dogs, but I don't know if he wouldn't try to be boisterous to get the most attention."

Alex looks at Michael, and Michael knows, without even having to ask. Michael straightens back up again, and clears his throat.

"Sarah. Don't suppose you've got another crate back there, have you?"

* * *

"So. We can take them in with us, right?" Alex asks as they climb out of the truck, looking over at the pet store and around the parking lot at other people passing with their dogs.

"What kind of store would they be if they didn't let in their own customers?" Michael asks, leaning in to the back of the truck to open the doors on the two crates lodged side by side.

Luna steps out confidently, already making a beeline for Alex, who takes her in his arms to help her to the ground.

"Hey, Gonzo," Michael says softly, coaxing him out of his crate by extending his hand for Gonzo to sniff and then patting his head when he sticks it out. "Gonna help us choose your bed and stuff?"

Gonzo climbs out with a deep look of mistrust for everyone. Though Michael thinks he earns himself a slight tail wag once he has Gonzo on the ground.

"So?" Michael says, taking Alex's hand in his as Luna and Gonzo cautiously sniff at each other, thankfully seeming to get along. "We should go get some stuff."

"We should," Alex agrees, beaming down at their dogs before looking back up at Michael in excitement.

"I guess we're lucky we got out of there before we got puppy-eyed by 'em all."

"Before __you__ were," Alex replies, pretending his heart wasn't stolen by the sad look on Gonzo's face.

"What can I say? I've been defeated by __your__ puppy eyes for years."

Alex drops his head, shoulders rising and falling as he laughs, before looking back at Michael with a triumphant smile. Michael accepts his kisses then nods towards the store, with Gonzo leading the way as though he knows where he's headed already. Alex falls into stride beside Michael, and Michael throws an arm around his waist. Excited for this new adventure they're embarking on together.


End file.
